Poll: TV Character Wisdom

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Steve Buscemi in Boardwalk Empire (2010)

Nucky Thompson: "First rule of politics, kiddo: Never let the truth get in the way of a good story."

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Patrick Stewart in Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)

Jean-Luc Picard: "Live now, make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again."

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James Gandolfini in The Sopranos (1999)

Tony Soprano: "A wrong decision is better than indecision."

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Julian Glover in Game of Thrones (2011)

Grand Maester Pycelle: "For all the weight they're given, last words are usually as significant as first words."

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Hugh Laurie in House M.D. (2004)

Dr. Gregory House: "It's one of the great tragedies of life — something always changes."

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Ian McShane in Deadwood (2004)

Al Swearengen: "Pain or damage don't end the world. Or despair or f__king beatings. The world ends when you're dead. Until then, you got more punishment in store. Stand it like a man... and give some back."

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David Duchovny in The X-Files (1993)

Fox Mulder: "I've often felt that dreams are answers to questions we haven't yet figured out how to ask."

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David Tennant in Doctor Who (2005)

The Doctor: "The way I see it, every life is a pile of good things and bad things. Good things don't always soften the bad things, but vice versa, the bad things don't necessarily spoil the good things or make them unimportant."

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Kyle MacLachlan in Twin Peaks (1990)

Dale Cooper: "Every day, once a day, give yourself a present. Don’t plan it, don’t wait for it, just let it happen. It could be a new shirt at the men's store, a catnap in your office chair or two cups of good hot black coffee."

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Nick Offerman in Parks and Recreation (2009)

Ron Swanson: "Clear alcohols are for rich women on diets."

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Will Arnett in Arrested Development (2003)

Gob Bluth: "It's called 'taking advantage.' It's what gets you ahead in life."

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Rachel Griffiths in Six Feet Under (2001)

Brenda Chenowith: "The future is just a f__king concept that we use to avoid living today."

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Ricky Gervais in The Office (2001)

David Brent: "If you can keep your head when all around you have lost theirs, then you probably haven't understood the seriousness of the situation."

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Terry O'Quinn in Lost (2004)

John Locke: "A leader can't lead unless he knows where he's going."

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Jerry Seinfeld in Seinfeld (1989)

Jerry Seinfeld: "Looking at cleavage is like looking at the sun. You don't stare at it. It's too risky. Ya get a sense of it and then you look away."

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Alec Baldwin in 30 Rock (2006)

Jack Donaghy: "Never go with a hippie to a second location."

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Jon Hamm in Mad Men (2007)

Don Draper: "You want some respect? Go out there and get it for yourself."

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Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex and the City (2008)

Carrie Bradshaw: "Sometimes we need to stop analyzing the past, stop planning the future, stop figuring out precisely how we feel, stop deciding exactly what we want, and just see what happens."

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William H. Macy in Shameless (2011)

Frank Gallagher: "Failing to prepare is preparing to fail."

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Michael C. Hall in Dexter (2006)

Dexter Morgan: "Sometimes, you just have to take a risk. After all, isn't that what relationships are all about?"

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Kiefer Sutherland in 24 (2001)

Jack Bauer: "You can look the other way once, and it's no big deal, except it makes it easier for you to compromise the next time, and pretty soon that's all you're doing; compromising, because that's the way you think things are done."

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Jemima Kirke in Girls (2012)

Jessa Johansson: "You know what the weirdest part about having a job is? You have to be there everyday, even on the days you don't feel like it."

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Kelsey Grammer in Cheers (1982)

Dr. Frasier Crane: "It may be an unwise man who doesn't learn from his own mistakes, but it's an absolute idiot that doesn't learn from other people's."

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South Park (1997)

Mr. Garrison: "If you don't teach your children that Paris Hilton should be despised, how will they know?"

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John Cleese and Luan Peters in Fawlty Towers (1975)

Basil Fawlty: "Don't mention the war."

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Benedict Cumberbatch in Sherlock (2010)

Sherlock Holmes: "You can always tell a good Chinese place by the lower third of the door handle."

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The Simpsons (1989)

Homer Simpson: "I want to share something with you - the three sentences that will get you through life. Number one, 'cover for me.' Number two, 'oh, good idea, boss. 'Number three, 'it was like that when I got here."

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Photo Courtesy 20th Century Fox

Buffy Summers: "It's hard to do homework if you think you're going to die."

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Ryan Kwanten in True Blood (2008)

Jason Stackhouse: "There’s a reason why things are the way they are."

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John Spencer in The West Wing (1999)

Leo McGarry: "There's two things in the world you never want to let people see how you make 'em: laws and sausages."